Life & Arts

By Dominique Flores How accustomed have Americans become to basing merit on appearance? Skin color and social class are obvious prejudices that men and woman of all ages alike have experienced. More so, fundamental business classes, such as those offered at Texas A&M’s Mays Business School, teach their students the formality of business dress and business casual, emphasizing that appearance will determine whether or not a person of status will determine your worthiness of time, and, essentially, money. It appears people are stereotyping others over their external style of choice. Eloy Santa Cruz, a Psychology major at TAMIU, is nonchalantly rising above the stereotypes outsiders categorize him in. (more…)

By Eloy Santa Cruz Food is one of the most essential items a human being requires, next to clothing and shelter. In today’s day and age, food has become as diverse as the word itself. From eel to hotdogs and even goat brains, food has always been an outlet in which individuals are able to showcase their creativeness and provide a window into their cultural backgrounds. In many cases, making food is considered an art, and many use this art platform to fur fill their goals. Whether it’s to build a multi-million-dollar corporation or establish a mom and pop’s type of restaurant, the use of food to accomplish something has been done for generations. One accomplishment that seems to be present with any type of food is the ability to provide a cultural experience through the taste palettes. ...

This article originally appeared in the February 2016 print edition.  Story and photos by Dominique Flores “Eye of the Beholder” is the latest exhibit at Gallery 201 located in downtown Laredo. Christina Xu and Edgar Saldaña are the artists featured, and their work fills the space with abstract and expressionist flare: canvases of all sizes hang among the beige rock interior. Visitors are immediately greeted with a guest list to sign and option to include an e-mail address for future event notifications. Further down the entrance is a table of complimentary wine and hors d’oeurves. Xu has provided both photo and canvas prints of her paintings, while Edgar printed copies of a miniature autobiography. Gallery 201 gives an ambiance of social swank and art education instantly. (more&...